The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-03-17
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE OXFORD.
Two Warehouses, Many Stores and Some Pri-
yate Dwellings Burned.

Our people are much grieved at the heavy
calamity that has Overtaken our sister
town. At about o'clock Tuesday morning
the Johnston warehouse was found to be
Oh fire, which with the high wind then
blowing, rapidly spread till every build
ing on College street between there and the
corner was prey to the fire fiend. Leap
ing across the street here, and igniting the
Herndon building on the corner OF Com
merce street, very demon of destruction,
it swept everything before it on that side
to, and incl uding the residence of Capt. A.
Lands. We append a list of losses as far
as ascertained at this writing. If we ale
able to get the amounts of insurance held
by the different parties before going to
press will give them.
Ursory & Wrenn, $1,000; Johnson ware
house, 81 800; A. Hobgood, $1,000; j. r.
Cuthrell, $500; Graves Day, 81 200; d. A.
Hunt & Son, $4,000; W. K. Beasley q Co.,
81 500; Brooks & George, $1,000; K. P. Tay-
lor, 81 900; w. L. Rice, 81 900; A. Lands,
dwelling 81 800; Mcclure Il Bryan, S1o,-
900; Bullock warehouse, 81, 500; j. X. Wood,
81 800; Tyler & Hundley, 81 800; L. kronhei-
mer, s., 900; Cozart Hall, $1,000; Davis &
Gregory, $1,000, with other losses not
known.
This great loss is supposed to be the
work of an incendiary, prompted to the
devilish deed because one of his race was
confined in Jail on Saturday for an offence
that deserves lynching, if he be guilty. If
this supposition be true, and the incendlary
can be caught, it will be one of those rare
cases in which the citizens will be more
than justified in meeting out that speedy
Justice reserved for such fiendS by hanging
them both from the nearest tree.
Since writing the above, we learn the to-
tai amount of insurance is only about TWEEN
ty-eight thousand dollars, that the heaviest
LOSSES are Messrs. Bullock & Mitchell,
who only had about s., 800 insurance on the
warehouse and tobacco on hand, which to-
gether cost about $4,000. The johnson
warehouse, and the residence of Capt. A.
Lands, were fully insured. There seems
to be no doubt in the minds of Oxford citi-
zens that the incendiary set fire to several
different buildings, and they feel hopeful
about catching him.
The negro prisoner, Albert Taborn, to
accomplish whose release the town was
fired, was brought here on Tuesday even
ing and sent OH to the Raleigh Jail. This
was deemed prudent by the officials who
were unwilling to trust his safety longer
where the people we're so justly exaspera-
| ted against him. Several gentleman from
| Oxford came down on the train with Sheriff
| Bullock, reaching here only few moments
before the Raleigh train. Negroes soon
cOngregated in large numbers around the
Oxford car, and when the prisoner was re-
moved to the Raleigh coach a number OF
them rushed in behind him. Crowding toe
much upon the guard they were ordered
ont, which order they at first insultingls
declined to obey, but upon its REPETITION
came out, swearing, threatening, and in
sulting the gentlemen from Oxford, who
by the exercise of a eommendable discre
ton avoided the starting of riot, which il
once commenced, would have ended in the
shedding of more than one PERSONS blood
We were ashamed that such a thing should
be allowed in our town, and looked fO
some of our authorities TO interfere, bu
could find none. Ii stricter vigilance /
not kept over certain characters who han!
around the depot at train time trying to &c
up rows and Boosting of the number Of pts
tolls they carry blood will yet be spilled
We trust our authorities will look afte
this; but if the law prove inefficient, thel
vigilance committees may be looked for.
| -.>ASN<.
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